No hidden catch - Mainstreaming values of small-scale fisheries in national accounts

It is notoriously difficult to obtain data for fisheries, especially for the more elusive small-scale sector, which tends to operate under the radar. These guidelines aim to assist national statistics officers and others improve the way they account for small-scale fisheries (SSF). We do this in two steps: 1) summarising current efforts to collect statistics for SSF and 2) presenting how this data can feed into national accounts using the international statistical standard developed by the United Nations to facilitate cross-sectoral macroeconomic analysis. These guidelines offer a range of strategies to help reveal the sector more clearly. Ultimately, if SSF data are robust, policymakers can design policies that will both improve the lives of people who depend on SSF, and secure investments to promote the sustainable management of fishery ecosystems.

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Marine and coastal resources support the livelihoods of millions of poor people across the world. They also provide a range of critical ecosystem services to the rest of the economy. The connection between high seas and coastal waters where small-scale fishers are active is relatively unexplored but already, the need for an ocean governance system, which will protect both areas, is evident.